Hi everyone,
so I suppose all that talk of me being on the internet all the time, fixing up my blog and putting up all sorts of enlightening and witty remarks while I was in Thies didn't really work out the way I planned. I guess I kinda forgot about all of the tech and language classes we'd be having, not to mention the medical sessions and cross-cultural debriefings in between...things just got a little busy. In all honesty though my second bout of training went really well. I passed out of my Jaxanke class and as a result decided to take Pulaar as thats what is spoken in the majority of the Kedougou region. However I quickly realized that it is a challenging language to grasp to say the least, a very "rich language" as the pulaars like to say as a result of the sheer number of words (their are 24 articles!). Needless to my pulaar still needs some work.
Our technical classes were probably the best part of the training. We focused heavily on different strategies for tree nurseries, waste management, gardening, and integrating evironmental curriculums into the Senegalese school system. It was all a little overwhelming, but I feel much more confident about potential work projects in the village right now.
Honestly the greatest thing about Thies was seeing all the buddies from my stage and sharing stories about the first 3 months out. It's really amazing to me how even people only 10k from one another can have infinitely different experience depending on the smallest factors. Obviously things like access to water and electricity are fundamental, but in general it just makes me think about how much one's specific community and the individuals living there completely change one's perspective. While from an outside point of view two villages may look identical given their structure and daily routine, they could have completely different characters. I kinda like that.
Anyway it really was just great to have quality time to catch up with old friends and get a chance to spend some quality time with everyone again. Sort of weird to think that, as there is no official time we will all be together again before we leave, who knows when I'll see a lotta those folks again.
I've been back in Kedougou for a couple weeks now, catching up both with the volunteers here and my family and villagers. My corn in my backyard is HUGE and the ochre is coming along nicely too. It's pretty awesome, but as no one had been taking care of it for the last month it's completely over run with weeds. It took me 2 hours to hack a path to my toilet about 15 yards away from my hut when I got back. I did see a pretty massive monitor lizard back there the other day which was pretty exciting. I told my host brother and he said I should kill it when I see it next so we can eat it for dinner. We'll see about that...
I've just spent the last week in Bandafasi, a village about 15k west of Kedougou, helping run a USAID sponsored summer camp. And while I haven't worked that hard since I've been in Senegal it was extremely fun and rewarding. The kids were incredible, the teachers/ counselors were super motivated and it was a really uplifting week. For all you Aim Highers out there there were many moments that reminded me of those wonderful summers, and it was pretty cool to be able to bring out some of my old Issues and Choices activities and adapt them to a Senegalese perspective. We also taught about 50 kids to love the Frisbee and it looks like we might have a good ultimate team in the making for next summer.
On a sadder note as I'm writing this everyone in my family is attending my grandmother Gar's memorial service and as a tribute I would like to dedicate this entry to her. She was constantly supportive of my decision to come out here I can only say that I hope to embody her adventurous spirit as I continue my service.
Thats pretty much the news here in a nutshell. The rain is heavenly and refreshing and as corn is getting ready to be picked the villagers are in high spirits. It's a pretty nice time to be here I must say.
Much love to you all and again thank you so much for all of your support.
willie
p.s. many apologies about my lack of photos right now, I forgot my camera cord in my hut and will try to get some up next week. I'll let ya know
